Kiyan Anthony admits his father, Carmelo, embarrasses him

Kiyan Anthony is preparing for his first college basketball season with the Syracuse Orange, the same program his father led to a national championship in 2003. Anthony, 18, is ranked 36th on the ESPN 100 list for the 2025 class.

His parents have supported him every step of the way, but they have also had a good laugh at the expense of the freshman. 

It’s common to see both Carmelo and La La Anthony hype up their kid on social media, but there’s a part of it that the player doesn’t really enjoy. Talking with PEOPLE about an episode of Instagram’s “Close Friends Only” podcast, Kiyan Anthony revealed how his parents “embarrass” him.

Kiyan Anthony opens up about his parents

“Oh, they still do [embarrass me.] They post a lot of videos that I don’t want them to post,” he said. “But it’s all good. It’s all jokes,” he continued. “They see me more than anybody, so they got all the funny videos of me, and sometimes they like to troll and post it.”

Kiyan Anthony

His highlights have made the rounds on social media, and both Carmelo and La La have given him his flowers. On the other end, they also enjoy teasing the freshman whenever they have the chance. 

Kiyan Anthony starts a new chapter in his basketball journey in Syracuse 

Kiyan Anthony is a five-star prospect from Long Island Lutheran High School. He averaged 10.3 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds in his final campaign, in which he led the Crusaders to a 21-5 record. 

Anthony is following in his father’s footsteps, defending his alma mater 22 years later. He’s one of many second-generation players in college this season, alongside the Boozer twins and Alijah Arenas.